Fiber layout

[genenj420]

Hi all,

I got a question about a Fiber Layout. I'm new to fiber so I want to make sure I got it right.

The building is 4 floors and the server room is on the second. There are 6 drops per floor.

My plan is to have 4 fiber switches with at least 8 ports on each floor. Run a pre terminated fiber cable to each floor. In the server room I beleive i need a fiber module. (does the fiber module have rj 45 ports on it or Do i need another switch. please let me know if I'm forgeting things such as a patch panel for servers.

Thanks
gene

 

[daronwilson]

I'm a little unclear what your layout is.

1. Fiber Optic Backbone with copper UTP to the desktop. In this scenario, you would connect your fiber to the switch on each floor (assuming the switch has a fiber port) and then when you get the runs to the server room, you would probably be best putting those runs into a switch with multiple fiber ports, one for each floor. Alternatively you could convert the fiber to UTP, but that seems like a step backwards.

2. Fiber to the desktop. In this case, you would likely run the fiber about the same, however each switch would have enough fiber ports to support all the workstations.

Can you explain a bit more about the layout and why you are using fiber? the distance? the need for speed?

Good Luck
It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com

 

[genenj420]

Daron,

Your first responce was correct. And thank you, I just wasn't sure if I was missing something in my plan.

I don't beleive fiber will help them in any way. They have 3 floors with 5 users on each floor. The servers are on the 2nd floor. We are running home runs to a patch panel that i'll be installing in the server room. These are the type of people that hear something like FIBER and want it.

However NOW these clients are thinking in 5 - 10 years that wireless will advance to better performance, so they asked me if I can run a backbone to each floor that will eventually have wirless hub at each level. They asked that the backbone be gigabit ethernet. Now as far as I knew and have read Gigabit Ethernet is a standard you can acheive on a Cat5e UTP and up cable, That by configuring "I assume" the nic and routers from using 2 pairs to send and 2 pairs to receive, to using 4 pairs to send and receive you can acheive 500mb per pair, ending up with 1000gb a sec. As well as good wire specs. AM I WRONG, I don't want to give anyone wrong info so I told him I would look into it for him. He looked into it and he thinks it's an actuall cable called Gigabit Ethernet.

Hope I don't confuse anyone

Thanks
Gene

 

[daronwilson]

Well...in 5-10 years we'll probably be using our watches with voice recognition!

Ok, here is my take just from what you have told us. It sounds to me like the runs you are going to make are relatively small and short. I mean, it isnt like we are weighing the best way to futureproof a 300 drop office. We are talking about 4 runs from the server room, one to each floor. Now, I am going to assume this is modern construction and it is relatively easy to wire. Some vertical chase, firestopping, IDF closets, etc. If they are willing to pay, I would suggest fiber, gigabit capable, in fact if you were looking to plan ahead 10 gigabit capable.

The cheap way would be to run good quality Cat5e/6 and use gigabit ethernet for a backbone. It's cheaper than the fiber (slightly) and may save a buck, depending on what equipment they are plugging it into. However, where do you go when they want to speed up?

Were it me, I'd sell them fiber and be prepared to go to 10 gigabit when it's time.

Good Luck!
It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com

 

[genenj420]

Thanks again Daron,

They really think they want to have wireless in the next 5 - 10 years. I agree with everything your saying. However
I'm a bit confussed on the 10 gigabit ethernet. Is 10 gigabit ethernet an actual cable? Is that what they call it or does it have a cat rating? Do you know where I can get it?

I know what your saying "where do you go from there to speed them up" I keep trying to tell them that the advances in IT make it difficult to futureproof any building. In 3 years there could be a 30 gigabit ethernet and in 5 there will prob. be a 50 gigabit ethernet. But in any case they want the most advanced layout that they can.

Look at how coax was getting installed all over the place for networking 10 years ago. Now it's obsolete. Just like fiber will be when they can fire a laser pulse down the line instead of light.

Thanks a bunch
Gene

 

[genenj420]

Ok I was reading some articals on cable installation & maintnance web site, and I see that I am correct on gigabit ethernet as a standard, and using exsisting cat 5e and fiber to acheive gigabit ethernet.

gene

 

[daronwilson]

The 10 gigabit title is for a technology, not a rating system for the wiring like Catagory 5 is.

An excellent source of information can be found at:

http://www.10gea.org

From there you can download the Optical Fiber and 10 Gigabit Ethernet paper. As I quickly looked through it, it seems that 50/125 micron fiber for multimode would be the choice, or considering using single mode fiber. For your short distances you may be fine with 62.5/125 multimode, but as you read through the paper you will see that there are many factors to be considered for fiber choice.

So I guess I stick with my original recommendation, fiber capable of 10 Gigabit for the lengths you are dealing with, my guess is 50/125 micron multimode will do you well now and leave them room to grow.

10 years ago? Hmm, I was installing Cat5, I'm just starting to rework a facility with Cat5 in it that I wired 9 years ago. I guess I did a few thinnet networks before that, but didn't really do much data before that time.

Good Luck!

It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com